Following our publication last week regarding comments made by Lawyer Assan Martin, a former magistrate reminding Yankuba Colley, Mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) that it is only the courts that can send people to Mile II central prisons, Mayor Colley has clarified that his comments were apparently understood out of context.

Mayor Colley, who was quoted by GRTS as saying that he would send defying butchers who failed to reduce the price of meat to mile two prison, said in a rejoinder signed by the public relations officer Pa Kalifa Sanyang and issued to The Point yesterday, that his comments do not necessarily mean that he would just give orders for anyone to be bundled to prison.

Below we reproduce the full text of the rejoinder signed by Mr. Pa Kalifa Sanyang, Public Relations and Human Resource Manager, Kanifing Municipal Council.

This is a clarification in respect of the caption ‘Only Courts Can Send People to Mile 2’ as expounded by Lawyer Assan Martin in the Point Newspaper edition of September 29th2008 in response to comments by Mayor Yankuba Colley that he would send butchers to Mile 2 if they fail to reduce the price of meat against a Presidential deadline issued to that effect.

It is rather unfortunate that the Lord Mayor’s comments were apparently understood out of context. He is very much aware of his role as Mayor and is equally conscious of his mandate and limitations.

Saying he would send defying butchers to Mile 2 does not necessarily mean that he would just give orders for anyone to be bundled to prison. What he actually meant is that those who failed to adhere to the President’s ultimatum will be sent to prison but of course with adherence to the due process of law.

Sending culprits to Mile 2 either for tax evasion or issues relating to rent control is not a new thing for the KMC but we do so in accordance with the specified legal procedures.

Mr. Martin’s reminder is indeed appreciated and we wish to state that the Lord Mayor is a very responsible public servant and does not seek to take the law into his own hands for any reason.

We have a situation where butchers and other vendors were over pricing their products at the detriment of the citizenry and it was high time they were checked. That was the sole intent of the Lord Mayor and not to exert unlawful authority or abuse any one’s human rights.

It would be recalled that Lawyer Martin, who recently walked into our office with a hand written rebuttal of Mr Colley’s threat, warned that it is only situations where vendors break the law or regulation that they can be taken to Mile 2 under the law and not by orders of a Mayor.